South America first time travel primer
If you have never visited in Latin America before, with the exception perhaps of Mexico, and you’d like to make your first trip to South America next, where should you go?
Of course it could be you crave to see the magic of Machu Picchu up close at last, and maybe even trek the Inca Trail, then you have your decision made already, go to Peru.
On the other hand, if on your one and only trip to Mexico you were bit overwhelmed and experienced bit of the Latino culture shock, then best ease your way into South America on your first trip.
There are two countries which stand out of the norm of South America travel, where you’ll unlikely feel the culture shock, and that’s Argentina and Chile. And for a simple reason –either of the two countries will feel more like a slice of Europe than of Latin America.
For one, there is hardly any native population left, meaning the indigenous Indian, Kechua cultures having been annihilated by the Spanish and Portuguese at the time of their conquest during colonial era beginnings. Though on one hand the lack of the native cultures provides for less color and diminishes the cultural makeup that is so fascinating in countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, and which is precisely the reason what makes those countries so fascinating, in Argentina and Chile the absence of these ethnic cultures gives those countries semblance of more affluence.
Additionally, cities such as Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile are more like a cross between Paris, Rome, Barcelona and Madrid than a typical Latin American metropolis style Lima, Quito, La Paz, Mexico City or Tegucigalpa.
In fact after you explore Argentina, for example, and you start traveling north from Buenos Aires to Uruguay, only a ferry boat across the bay, you will immediately start noticing the more traditional South American cultural mix as you get to Montevideo, where you first come across the Caribbean cultural presence, which in Argentina is essentially nonexistent, and with the change there will also be more poverty.
Needless to say, South America is vast and there are so many fascinating corners to explore, so by now you will be eager to sample all of its cultural riches and nothing will deter you.
